Berlanga Must Use Top Boxing To Defeat Canelo

Edgar Berlanga can win on Saturday night (live on DAZN PPV) if he can follow Dmitry Bivol’s feat of defeating Canelo Alvarez with a top punch. Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has never been known as a heavy puncher, but his team learned from Canelo’s loss to Bivol, and they will follow suit.

Berlanga spoke highly of Bivol’s jabs in his 2022 win over Canelo, which he may try to emulate. However, he doesn’t have the gas tank to throw the number of shots that Bivol threw at Canelo.

“It’s dangerous because, in my opinion, you have to be active in the fight because Canelo played very well,” said Eddie Hearn speaking to Matchroom Boxing, discussing how Edgar Berlanga might defeat Canelo Alvarez on Saturday.

“When you go back to the Bivol game. He did it very well [against Canelo] his product was very good. Boxers in groups, who are always willing to throw and light the shoes in 20 seconds to win those rounds.

“You can win rounds with Canelo Alvarez, but at the same time, if you’re busy, that’s when you put pressure on yourself to be counted or to stand still. So, you have to be smart about it.

“I always hear people say, ‘He’s here.’ [Canelo] he has not been set up,’ and ‘He has never been down.’ Now? What will you do? ‘Well, we’ll forget about that trick. Edgar is one of the greatest punchers in the world at 168. There is no doubt about that.

“Can he hurt Canelo? “Everybody can get hurt, especially when you get to the end of your career, but you have to try to put some dignity into this man,” said Hearn. “That’s easier said than done. I wouldn’t be surprised if Edgar and the team decide to punch a little harder and try to win some of these early rounds.”

Canelo can get hurt, but you have to hit him hard or throw a lot of shots like Jose Miguel Cotto did when Alvarez got hurt.

“What you have to do is go through that battlefield, hold some rounds because you know how to put out a little bit, Canelo, especially on the ground. In John Ryder’s fight, he thought he was dominant, suddenly he lost rounds,” said Hearn.

Winning the first rounds against Canelo is not a guarantee that Berlanga will fight well enough to win the next rounds and take a decision. If anything, Canelo will fight harder if he loses in the early rounds, and that would be bad for Berlanga.